WJPA Sports

CINCINNATI (AP) — Oneil Cruz had a three-run homer, his third in two games, Paul Skenes allowed one run in five innings and the Pittsburgh Pirates defeated the Cincinnati Reds 8-3 to take the three-game series. Eugenio Suárez had a pinch-hit, two-run shot in the sixth inning for the Reds. Cruz then connected on a 2-1 curveball that was over the bottom part of the plate and drove it 407 feet over the wall in right field. Skenes returned to his All-Star form after giving up five runs in two-thirds of an inning in last Thursday’s opener against the New York Mets. The reigning NL Cy Young winner allowed three hits, walked two and struck out five.

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Rickard Rakell, Anthony Mantha and Egor Chinakov scored first-period goals as the Penguins raced past Detroit 5-1. Evgeni Malkin added an assist for his 1,399th career point in his return from an upper-body injury that forced him to miss four games. The Penguins remained in second place in the Metropolitan Division with the victory. Dylan Larkin scored his 30th of the season but Detroit’s postseason hopes took another hit following its fourth loss in five games.

PHOENIX (AP) — NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell says he has no plans to end the league’s Rooney Rule despite recent objections from Florida’s attorney general, who wrote that the league’s minority hiring guidelines violate Florida state law. Goodell was speaking on Tuesday at the end of the NFL league meetings. He acknowledged the changing political landscape for diversity initiatives in the U.S., but added that he didn’t believe there should be any legal issues with the league’s policy. Also on Tuesday, the NFL’s competition committee approved a one-year rule for the upcoming season that would allow the replay center in New York to correct “clear and obvious mistakes made by on-field officials that impact the game” in case of a work stoppage involving the NFL Referees Association.

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Tiger Woods says he’ll step away and seek treatment after his SUV crash in Florida. Woods made his comments Tuesday, four days after the crash that led to his arrest on suspicion of driving under the influence. Woods pleaded not guilty on Tuesday in his driving under the influence case. The plea came hours after a sheriff’s report said he had pain pills in his pocket and showed signs of impairment at the crash scene last week. I’s the second time Woods has taken a leave following a car crash. In 2009, he announced a leave after his SUV plowed into a fire hydrant and tree outside his home near Orlando.